Literature-In-English Paper 3 WASSCE (SC), 2022

Question 7                  AUGUST WILSON: Fences

How does Troy’s upbringing affect his relationship with his children?

This question requires the candidates to how Troy’s upbringing affect his relationship with his children.   Most candidates only narrated Troy’s childhood without highlighting the effect it has on how he relates to his children. This was not a popular question.
The requirements of this question include the following:

  • Identify the theme of racial discrimination in America of the 1950s which impacts the lives of black Americans, particularly Troy and his family.
  • Character identification of Troy Maxson.
  • Troy’s upbringing: his father was very hardworking, yet he was always in debt. His father used confrontation and violence to put fear in him. Troy engaged in a near-death confrontation with his father over the sexual abuse of his girlfriend. He left his father’s home in Alabama, travelling 200 miles to the city.
  • Results of Troy’s upbringing: Troy’s earlier upbringing seems to have given him a wrong perception of parenting. He sees himself as a commander, who cannot accept his children’s views. Troy learns the value of hard work and a sense of responsibility. Troy experiences racism as a boy when he is denied the opportunity to play baseball.
  • Influences Troy passes on to his children: Troy’s refusal to let Cory play football is an influence from past upbringing. Troy repeats the mistakes of his father. He drives his son Cory away from home because of a fierce argument that nearly turns physical. Troy’s sense of hard work and responsibility is picked up by his sons, particularly Cory.
  • Troy’s upbringing has positive and negative influences on him, and it manifests in his relationship with his children.

Candidates’ performance in the question was fair.